//------------------------------// // Chapitre Dix-Neuf // Story: The Operatic Angel // by misskoifishpony //------------------------------// Chapitre Dix-Neuf Butterscotch, with wide yet fearful eyes, slowly walked towards the stone pony. He couldn't call it statue. Statutes were inanimate objects, and this was... The audience lingered on his every step, hearing the wooden stage creep and creak. The female lead, the mare behind Butterscotch, was frozen. Frozen with fear and with strange curiosity. Sweat dripped slowly down from her wig to her neck. As Butterscotch approached closer to his destination, he began to see the eerie details of this stone pony. He wanted to be wrong, but the little details kept proving him wrong. The stone pony had Rainbow Blitz's spikey and wild hair. He could see the individual stripes in it's mane and tail. Butterscotch could see Rainbow's thick and dark eyebrows, you couldn't miss those. But the most terrifying details of all was...the detailed expression of horror on the stone pony's face. It's screaming mouth had so many wrinkled creases in the corners of it's mouth. There were bags under those petrified and big eyes. The way it's neck and head was cranked to the sky...it was like this pony was frozen in time. Screaming in agony as it's life was taken away from him. These details...too skilled and life like for any sculptor to accomplished. Not to mention the attention to detail in the individual feathers in the stone pegasus's wings. It was like this statute was flying away from danger. It was like Rainbow Blitz was flying from... "Rainbow Blitz..." Butterscotch finally admitted aloud. The mare accompanying Butterscotch on stage heard Butterscotch's statement as clear as day. She gasped as if gasping for air under water. She covered her mouth with her hooves. Butterscotch turned around and saw his partner trembling. She slowly took one of her hooves away from her mouth pointed towards Rainbow Blitz. She quietly stuttered before screaming in blood chilling murder, "T-The Phantom! She-she! She turned him into stone! She turned him into stone! AAAAAHHH!" Butterscotch began to breathe in and out in a panicked pace. His sweat rushed in profusely. He turned towards the audience and saw mares and stallions shouting and calling out for their lives. Some started to gallop out of their seats while some are too scared to move. "Oh no." Butterscotch squeaked as he backed away from the audience. The giant red curtains swinged in,to hide the actors and the Rainbow Blitz statute. The twin managers quickly trotted from stage left and right to present themselves in front of the curtains. With fake yet sweaty smiles, they announced "Do not panic! Do not panic!" Shim then stated alone, "Please mares and gentlecolts, this is only..." "A technical difficulty! There's no such thing as a phantom!" Sham finished the panicked sentiment. "Please, remain in your seats and the show shall start shortly!" Shim announced once more. Meanwhile, in the rafters high above the stage,Dusk Shine looked over the railing with horror. His breath was shallow and weak, his knees shakes and buckled. He stared at the Rainbow Blitz statute with a lost expression on his face. Eris floated above Dusk Shine with a trickester smirk on her face. She chuckled with glee, "Well, that certainly didn't go as planned. However, this proved to be the better result. Tehee! It was a pleasure working with you Monsieur Dusk Shine! Enjoy the guilt!" With a snap of her lion paw,Eris was gone with a bright but not illuminating white flash. But Dusk Shine paid no attention to the Phantom. His eyes were still on the stone pony down below. Meanwhile, every pony back stage was freaking out. They were screaming and galloping for their lives. There was chaos. Pure, wild like fire chaos. In the mist of this panicked mob, little Scootaroll was scrambling through calling out "Blitz! Blitz! Blitz, where are you?!" Then, he accidentally knocked his head against something hard and smooth. Scootaroll was knocked down to the ground when he bumped his head. As he rubbed his now bruised skull, his eyes drifted to what was in front of him. Once his eyes fully adjusted, he gasped softly at the stone pony in front of him. It looked like Rainbow Blitz, but it couldn't be. "Rainbow?" said Scootaroll with tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. He reached his hoof to touch the lifeless form, and the surface sent chills down his foreleg. It's corpse like coldness made Scootaroll cry even more. "Rainbow? Rainbow? Rainbow?!" Butterscotch watched Scootaroll from afar silently. And yet his mind and heart were racing like wild fire through a dry forest. He knew that he had to do something. This madness had to end. He needed answers. He needed to know why Eris did this. He thought that she had changed. She promised that she wouldn't...but then again...she only promised to not pull pranks. She never promised that she wouldn't turn her supposed enemies into stone. No...there had to be a good reason! Butterscotch wondered, There had to be, or else...I need to find Eris. With a determined look in his eyes, he trotted through the terrified performers and towards the other side of the backstage. He blazed through the mob, he didn't care if he bumped into them. He was on a mission, and his hooves were speeding underneath him. He could only see his target and no pony else. "Butterscotch? Butterscotch!" Bluebell called out to him. But when Butterscotch didn't stop for her, she galloped after him. Eris poofed herself in middle of the small sanctuary. She dusted herself and her cape before relighting all the wax candles decorated all over the room. As the candles glowed of a soft yet ashy ember, Artemis's moon shined through the stained glass windows. The nightly glow mixed in with the crystal colors of the windows and the sunset light of the candles. The atmosphere was warm, daring yet subtly romantic and this made Eris giggle and clap her hands in glee. While her beautiful chaos keeps the ponies distracted, she and Butterscotch can have a moment. She had a feeling that her beloved would come here a minute of peace, and she would be ready for him. Her suspicions were proven correct when she heard hoof steps quickly coming towards the sanctuary. Her tail feathers snapped and she poofed herself to hide behind the altar. She wanted to surprise her sweetheart when he arrived. Eris waited for him with an anxious smile. Sure enough, Butterscotch had arrived. But out of breath and rapidly looking for the wall portal into Eris's lair. But his search seized when he heard galloping steps behind him. Eris heard these steps too and peaked from the side of the altar to see another pony in this sacred space. Butterscotch spinned around and remarked, "Bluebell?" Bluebell came into the sanctuary. Out of breath and her head down towards her hooves. Sweat staining her costume and her hair frizzy and out of place. Once her heart slowed it's rapid beating, she looked up at Butterscotch with tired eyes. "What you doing here?" He asked with concern. "Funny," Bluebell mumbled, "I was going to ask you the same thing." Butterscotch took a step back, then looked away from her nervously. Trying to think of a reasonable lie to tell her. He bit his lip before telling her, "I was...I just needed a moment alone." Bluebell took a step forward and questioned, "Why do you keep doing this?" "Doing what?" She pointed towards all him and emphasized, "This...this alone thing. You never want spend time any pony more. Not your friends. Not Baba. Not even me." "Bells." Butterscotch uttered softly. "I know that you've been busy with the plays, but..." Butterscotch walked towards her and explained, "Sis, this has nothing to do with you, or Baba, or our friends...it's just...the plays...this opera...all of this has made me so nervous. Well, more than just nerves. You saw what happened out there. It's madness! But my point is, Sanctuary helps clear my mind. That's all." He gave her a reassuring smile, hoping that it could ease her pain and anxiety. While Eris, her ears lingering on their every word behind the altar, thought to herself Exactly! There you go sister, now leave! So that my beloved Butterscotch and I can be alone. But Bluebell didn't return his smile. Her eyes became wide yet sorrowful. She looked deep into Butterscotch's teal eyes and whispered, "You can find peace in an cold and old sanctuary, but not in the comfort of your own family?" "No Bluebell, that's not what I meant." "Then...what do you mean?" She replied, with her tone slightly louder than before. "I mean that..I can't just burden you and Baba with every small woe I encounter." "But these woes aren't small!" She proclaimed, "Especially not to family! To us!" "Bluebell, it's not like I...!" Butterscotch tried to explain. "Your problems are never small Butterscotch! Not to me!" She emphasized once more pounding her chest with her front hoof. Geez,Eris groaned in her head, what is this mare's problem? She rolled her eyes before returning her attention to the siblings fighting in the room. Tears began to form in Bluebell's navy blue eyes. She squinted hard to hold them in. But she continued on, "Not to me..." "Oh sis." said Butterscotch as he drew her into a comforting and warm hug. She sobbed softly into his shoulder and wrapped her forelegs around him. She could even feel his soft and warm wings hug her so sweetly. Butterscotch also stroked her back gently, like a big brother would whenever their little sister would cry. "I'm so sorry." Butterscotch whispered to her. Bluebell slowly parted her face from his shoulder, and whispered with tears still in her eyes "And you know what the worst part is?" Butterscotch's wings folded back and he slightly pulled Bluebell away from him, so that way he could see her downcast navy blue eyes. Her voice choked up when she uttered, "You don't even know why I worry about you...why I love you so much." "Oh nononono Bell, I do know why you love me." Butterscotch sweetly cooed at his adopted sibling, "Believe me, I do. I'm your brother, and you're my sister. No matter what any pony says, our love is true and comes from the heart. We don't need lineage or blood to prove that. All we need is each other and Baba. Not only that, we're best friends. Thick and thin to the end, with the Angel of Music by our side! Remember? Oh Bluebell, please tell me that you remember." Bluebell began to sob once more, and Butterscotch gently held her face in his hooves. He slowly wiped the tears from her eyes with the soft tip of his hoof. His eyes kept searching for hers. But her lips uttered through her sobbing, "Oh Butterscotch. Don't you see? You don't know. You truly don't know. And it's all my fault...all my fault." "Your fault? Y-Your fault for what? Oh sis, please talk me. I don't understand what you're trying to say." She opened her eyes and lifted her face close to Butterscotch's. Tears were still in them, but there was something different about them now. It is true that they looked sorrowful and full of pain, but they were so warm and gentle. Her eyes were longing for something. Something that Butterscotch couldn't understand what it could possibly be. Her eyes were riddles to him, far more confusing than Eris's eyes that's for sure. And yet...he still carried her the sides of her face in his hooves. Eris leaned in her head a little closer towards them, while still hiding from behind the altar. Good thing that she had a long neck. Then softly, she placed her hooves on his cheek and sadly sighed, "Oh Butters, please forgive me." And before Butterscotch could even respond, Bluebell hushed him with a kiss. Her lips quickly met with his, yet when her lips touched his, the contact was gentle and softly placed. Her lips slightly pushed against his, but her kiss wasn't forceful. It was like a small stream of water was caressing the sandy shore. Eris's eyes widen to their fullest capacity, her mouth slightly parted open. After watching the kiss for a full thirty seconds,she couldn't watch it anymore. She leaned her head and back against the altar, and clutched it's stoney surface harshly with her lion paw. Thus, cracking the back of the altar with her emotional might. While her eagle talon clinging against her thumping chest. Meanwhile, when Bluebell started kissing Butterscotch, he expressed his shock with muffled sounds of his squeak. His wide eyes stared at his adopted sister, who's eyes were closed and yet soft looking. Butterscotch in that instant felt like a stiff statute, a frozen ice sculpture...speak less in a silent winter. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He kept blinking his eyes to make this crazy illusion to go away, but everytime he did...it didn't vanish. Eris's breath became shallow and restless because of her thumping heart. Soon,her thumping heart dropped to the pit of her stomach,making her belly and legs feel heavy and numb like marble. With each silent second, her breathing became worse and worse. Sweat began to trail down from the top of her head to her shoulders. Either the room was getting warm or...she was getting too warm. No matter how many times she closed her eyes and then re-opening them, she couldn't get the image of her dearest Butterscotch's lips pressed against other. Her small, white, pure little lips against his smooth perfect lips. Their lips fitting together so nicely, lining up together as if they were... No! She couldn't say it...admitting to it would mean... "Ah!" Eris quietly cursed under her breath. Her talon went up to the left side of her face,where her deformed yet scarred side was. The scars were starting to act up on her,but...it's been years. She hasn't felt this kind of pain in years. Her scars don't usually sting unless she... Then suddenly, she felt a wet yet warm tear trailing from her left eye and down her elegant black and gold mask. I have to get out of here. Eris thought to herself. Eris then used her magic to open the invisible portal in the wall, and escape into the tunnels leading to her lair. Meanwhile, Butterscotch noticed something during his kiss with Bluebell. It was true that her kiss was gentle and kind,there was no warmth or heat to it. It was soft yes, and no forces me push, but nothing urged Butterscotch to push back. He was no longer stiff but nothing urged him to wrap his forelegs around Bluebell in this intimate moment. He wanted to hug her and comfort her before,but not during this kiss. He couldn't even close his eyes during this kiss. This kiss was not like his kiss with Eris. Sure, both of these mares took him by surprise with their kisses, but...there was a spark in Eris's kiss. This spark would travel through her lips into the rest of hid body. True, her lips forced themselves too much to his lips at first but...after a while...her passionate lips comforted and soothed his tensed lips. Her kiss helped his body relax and welcome her touch. In fact, her kiss encouraged him to embrace her fully. Even though he didn't act on his desires, he still wanted to wrap his forelegs and wings around her. He was too shy and shocked to act on these desires. However, in a way, she kinda read his mind and acted on the act of embracing for him. The feeling of his body cradled in her arms was wonderful. It was like cuddling with a group of kittens all over his body, it made him wonder if Eris could purr like cat. Her paw and claw caressing him was always oddly calming. Her touch always massaging him in the smallest of ways. He always strangely enjoy the feeling of her tail wrapped around his waist. He secretly took in pleasure of his cheek pressed against her chest when she embraced in their kiss. Hearing her heart,so loud yet so strong and deep made his heart beat wildly. Yet, her heart beat so clear and passionate. A heart with this kind of sound couldn't be terrible or awful it cruel. When she kissed him...when they were down underground in the lair...when they were alone...when they sang together...they were always in a world of their own. He was always in a new world,beyond reality, with her. With her, it's like magic. And this magic couldn't be explained. The more Butterscotch lingered in Bluebell's kiss, the more he thought about Eris. The more he thought about her eyes, her laugh, her cheeky smile, her voice, her everything. That's why he couldn't think about her being evil again or being just the Phantom of L'Opera de Cheval. Whether the good or bad, the mistakes or trails or joys, he... Bluebell's lips began to tremble and tears streamed down her face. Butterscotch took the moment to part his lips from her and grab her by the shoulders. "Wait." He uttered. Bluebell looked up at him, silently praying that he doesn't hate her but instead professing the kind of love that she has always dreamed tor them. A love that could make him husband and wife someday, have children, and live off in the countryside someday. Far away from the L'Opera de Cheval. But Butterscotch looked down at her hooves,away from her gaze. Even though their kiss was just a minute or two long, it felt like an eternity to him. It was far too long for him. "I love Eris." He whispered breathlessly. He said it. He finally said it with doubts and no hesitation. There was no turning back, his heart belonged to her and she may do what she wishes with it. Bluebell heard love, but her name was not mentioned with this love. It was another, but she had never heard of this name. Her teary eyes widened, her heart began to sank in her chest, she choked out softly, "W-What?" Butterscotch looked up and then rapidly stated, "I have to go!" "W-wait...Butterscotch!" But it was too late, Butterscotch's hooves quickly released their grip on her shoulders and galloped out of the room. Leaving Bluebell all alone, cold, hopeless, and broken in that tiny sanctuary. "Butterscotch?" She muttered through her eyes and clogged up throat. She sobbed heavily into her hooves and her whole body fell slowly to the floor. She wept heavily into the stone yet dusty ground. Eris walked down the catacombs of her domain, with her head down and her feet dragging along with her heavy tail. She tried, with all her might, to hold in her tears. She tried to keep her own sobs silent,but...her sobs quietly echoed. Her tears leaked through her shut tight eyes. She couldn't let... "Mistress! Mistress!" Dopey cheerfully called out for her. Oh no, not now.she groaned in her thoughts. She didn't turned around, she just stopped. Her face still down and close to her chest. "Mistress, how was the opera?" Dopey asked with what Eris would probably guess to be a smile. "Fine." She replied in a cold yet posed tone. "Did you prank Elusive? Huh, did ya? Did ya Mistress?" "Yes, I did Dopey." "Tehee I bet it was funny. Your pranks are always funny." Dopey giggled. Eris didn't respond. "Did you see Butterscotch?" Eris's eyes widened. Her breath paused. "Was he there with my Esmeralda? Huh, was he?" Immediately, the pain returned. The stinging sensation returned back to her scarred left side. She covered it with her paw and she hissed quietly in her agony. "I'm sure he was, they're always together. Was Esmeralda good tonight? Oh, I bet she was." Dopey sighed, with a blush forming on his cheeks, "I bet that she was the most beautiful..." Strike one, the pain in Eris's scars increased. "the most wonderful..." Strike two, it was worse. "the most amazing..." Strike three, she couldn't ignore the pain anymore. "dancer there ever..." "Silence!" Eris's command made Dopey cower towards the wet stoney ground. His eyes, full and wide at his care taker. His ears pinned back with fear. Eris was now in front of him, standing tall and mighty like a dark shadow. The only source of light were her glowing yet angry red and yellow eyes. "Your...precious..." Eris growled with her fangs bare and gleaming, "Esmeralda. Your sweet Esmeralda...is a traitor." She emphasized at the end. Dopey was silent and confused, his eyes grew bigger. But Eris wasn't stopping there. "She betrayed you. Butterscotch..." It hurts...just to even say his name... "...betrayed you." Eris finished with a hiss. "But...But Butterscotch wouldn't betray me." Dopey answered hesitantly, "He's my friend. And Esmeralda, she..." "Is no longer yours." Eris stated bluntly and harshly, "And as for Butterscotch, he is no longer your friend." "B-B-But why? I don't understand. Why isn't he my friend anymore?" Tears forming in his golden crossed eyes. "Because he betrayed you. He deceived us and betrayed our trust. He does not deserve your friendship." "Mistress, I still don't understand!" Dopey cried out. "It's what I've always told you Dopey, the world above is a cruel and hopeless place! Filled with vile and careless ponies!" "But..." He sobbed. "You are better off with them! We don't need them. We don't need anypony! All we need is each other." Dopey's sobs then became louder and full with more sorrow and confusion, "But I want Esmeralda too!" His body sinking more into the floor, letting his heart ache control his limp body. "SHE DOES NOT YOU! SHE WANTS BUTTERSCOTCH!" Eris screamed. "W-What?" Dopey seized his crying. His gaze returned back at Eris, who was panting and trying to catch her breath. Her gaze down towards the floor, but her heart was racing and hurting in her chest. Tears began to return to her eyes. Then, she muttered breathlessly "She kissed Butterscotch." Dopey took a moment to process his Mistress's words. His legs felt weak and shaky. His breath was shallow and his heart stopped...for just a second. His mind soon found the words again, "N-No...it...it can't be. Can it Mistress?" But her silence, unfortunately, answered his question. Eris couldn't even return his gaze. "N-No..." He cried, "It can't be true. It can't!" Dopey galloped into the pitch black catacombs,searching for his answers and...way through this betrayal and confusion. When Dopey disappeared,Eris allowed herself to cry aloud. Her tail snapped it's furry feathers and teleported her back to her lair. When she reached her destination, Eris collapsed onto the floor and cried like a weeping widower. Her long body was limp and dead on the ground, the only part of her that moved was her shoulders and her face buried in her elbows. Her mournful sobs were muffled. Her tears felt like they were tearing her face apart. Tearing off her scars, her fur, her eyebrows, her muzzle, her everything... Her hot tears poured into her hands, and the heat didn't stop. It took all her strength just tear her head away from the floor and crawl towards her golden vanity. But her sobbing followed her with each inch of this treacherous journey. It was official, every part was her was dead. It was like magic was gone from the very fiber of her being. Her voice was horribly clogged by her tears and draining mucus from her stuffy nose. Eventually, her paw touched a wooden yet cushioned surface. It was her vanity chair. She positioned her elbows on top of the seat of the chair and pulled herself up. She couldn't look at her reflection in the mirror. Through these tears, she couldn't see anything. She violently pulled her mask from her face and threw it towards her bed. Her talon rapidly searched through her drawers, almost throwing every item out of each drawer. Her hand stopped when she found her music box. Her soft, beautiful, warm music box. Eris quickly placed it on top of the vanity and opened it's lid. She wiped away her eyes in order to see the blue glass ballet dancer inside. Spinning and dancing in her little room of gold and silver. Then, it's light hearted yet elegant tun began. Eris's sobbing soothed into a whimper. She was able to take a moment to breath in deeply and out. Her heart stopped racing. But what the dear Phantom notice was...what was happening with her scars. Before her music box started playing it's tune, her scars were red and almost bulging out of her face. However, the music took Eris's mind off the agonizing pain and the scars healed back to their original state. Soft yet deformed grey skin. Memories of her youth, the days where he...would whipped her for causing mischief with her magic...she would take her special box from her hay stack bed and let it play it's song...to somehow heal her new scar. Eris began to singing quietly, while fighting through her small tears... Masquerade Paper faces on parade Masquerade Hide your face for the world will never find you Butterscotch... I love you... That last verse made Eris sob once more. She buried her face into the top of the vanity, while her long hair covered her mournful state. Her music box; still playing it's lullaby like a bell chiming in the breeze. How could this be? she wondered to herself, I thought that he...that we could be...but he shared a kiss...with me. Did that...mean nothing to him? He returned the kiss...he saw my face...we embraced together...our songs...I don't understand "What went wrong?" Eris asked herself. "He used you, that's what went wrong." Eris quickly looked up and saw what may looked like reflection, but it was far from it. It was her face, but instead was looking down at her with an un-amused scrowl. It's eyes looked like daggers. "You!" Eris proclaimed angrily, "How did you return?! I got rid of you from my thoughts hundreds of years ago!" "Oh Eris," The dark reflection replied with an unsettling smile on her face, "don't you know that your worst critic is yourself? As long as you doubt, I will always be here." "I'm not doubting myself." "And yet...I heard a very distinct 'Oh, what ever went wrong? Woes is me.'" "My problems are none of your concern." "Oh, but they are dearie. And you know why? Because somepony just used the Phantom of the Opera." "Butterscotch he...he didn't use me!" "Geez, not only have you gotten soft on me but, you've also gotten naive on me too!" The reflection scolded, "Looks like I have to spell it all out you." Then, she enunciate slowly and clearly with a slight hiss in her delivery, "Butterscotch used you." Then, her tempo increased along with the rise of her annoyance, "He played you like a fool. No! Worst! He played you like a sad little violin that no pony wants." "You jealous little...!" Eris threatened. "Why do you did think he came down here in the first place? Hmmm?" "Well," Eris's tone softened, "because...he liked the sound of my voice. My songs and..." "Wrong! He liked how gullible and yet talented you were." Her reflection ended her statement with a malicious yet small grin. "Are you trying to imply that my Butterscotch...?" Eris remarked defensively. "Used you in order to become the new Tenor of your Opera. Indeed, I am." She answered confidently. "But...that doesn't make sense." Eris commented with panicked confusion, "Butterscotch had no ambition to become the new Tenor until I insisted." "Which was, again, a foolish mistake on your part by the way." "Besides, what would he gain from it? Butterscotch is not the egotistical type. In fact, he didn't even want to sing in front of ponies in the first place." "Ugh! Don't you see?! It was all a facade! A trick! An act! A very convincing one if I might add." "No! If it was, I would have..." Tears again started to form in her eyes. Her hands clutched the sides of her head. "No, you wouldn't have. And you know why? You were too blinded by your own affection and fancy to realize...he's just as bad as every other stallion that sweeps the stage of your opera." "No..." Eris choked out. "He's just as bad as Elusive. He's just as bad as Charles La Rue." "NO!" Eris screamed out, gripping onto her head even more. Her eyes closed tight. "There there my dear," Her reflection soothed her sorrow filled friend,with ooze dripping from her tone, "do not despair. All you have to do is teach him a lesson. Just like..." Then, she poofed a small stone sculpture in her paw. She reached it past her glass barrier and placed it in front of Eris. Eris looked up and saw that it was a stone sculpture of Butterscotch. "The others..." Her reflection happily finished. "But," Eris softly protested, "I don't want to lose him." "But that's the beauty of it. You don't have to lose him." As Eris took the mini statue in her hands, her reflection explains "In this stone state, your Butterscotch can never leave your opera. He can never astray. He would be frozen in time, forever at your beckoning. He can become whatever you want him to be. And best of all...that temptress Bluebell shall never have him again." A smile twitched gradually on Eris's face, her grip on the tiny stone pony tightened. She muttered in a voice consumed with thoughts of darkness and revenge, "Y-Yes...she can never have him. Only I can have him! She will pay. Above the others, she shall pay the most!" "Yes! That's spirit!" Her reflection cheered. Eris let out a loud and evil chuckle before singing triumphantly... You will curse the day you did not do! All that the Phantom asked of you! "MWHAHAHA!" Eris cackled at the end of her song, her laughter consuming the very air of her catacombs and her dark lair. Dopey, while hiding in his secret place deep in the labyrith underneath the opera, heard his mistress's laughter and uttered in horror "Oh no." Butterscotch ran for Zircoro's dressing room. Eris told him a couple of months ago but a secret passage to the lair behind his Baba's mirror. Eris may have closed the portal in his room, but there were still many other portals lingering in each room of the opera. Butterscotch was thankful, in a way, for the chaos running rampage backstage because no pony would question him on why he's going into his father's dressing room. The yellow pegasus just hoped that Zircoro wasn't there or...not confronting Eris for her mistake. When Butterscotch entered the room, he let out a sigh of relief. His Baba wasn't here. All he needed to do was find the mirror, which wasn't easy in this dark yet messy dressing room. As Butterscotch looked for the mirror, he couldn't help but feel regretful. He made his poor Eris want for an answer. And answer about his own affections. She said "I love you" and he, the hesitant and doubtful coward he was, couldn't say back. He was a fool,an idiot, and scum of the earth to make his beloved relish in this agony. That's why as he sees her, he will take her paws into his hooves and tell her that he loves her. He loves her more than music, and that she is the breath to every song he sings. Then, he will beg for her forgiveness and as well convince her to fix the great injustice she did upon poor Rainbow Blitz. I'm sure that...with some proper communication and understanding, everything will go back to normal. And Eris and I will be together. Forever. Butterscotch pondered to himself. Finally, Butterscotch found the tall standing mirror behind a large yet faded curtain. Butterscotch pondered to himself. Finally, Butterscotch found the tall standing mirror behind a large yet faded curtain. But as soon as his reflection, he then told himself aloud "Wait a minute...what's the password?! Oh no, ummm...I know it's three times something. Oh what am I going to do?!" After pacing back and forth in front of the mirror, the password finally came to him. "Wait! It was tap the mirror three times." Butterscotch went up to the mirror's surface and tapped it gently three times. He waited for the portal to open but...nothing happened. "What?! This...this can't be! The password should have worked!" Butterscotch tapped on the mirror again, only with more persistence. And yet...it didn't work. Butterscotch kept trying, over and over again, for some result. But nothing came. "What's going on?" He whispered. "You can't be serious!" Dusk Shine exclaimed to Shim and Sham. Along with Zircoro, Dusk Shine and the Shim Sham Sisters were discussing their important matters in Elusive's dressing room. It was the only dressing room big enough to fit all of them, and they needed their privacy...away from the chaos rooming around outside. "I agree," Zircoro added, "she will continue to terrorize. If we continue to perform, more problems shall arise." Shim and Sham were sitting at Elusive's vanity mirror and make up stand. Uncharacteristically, the two sisters were looking at the two stallions solemnly yet with some annoyance. While Sham was rubbing her temples, Shim was tapping her forehead with the tip of her hoof. Shim mumbled in agitated tone, "What do you expect us to do?" "Close down the opera?!" Sham added, "Wait for this Tarturus filled spirit to just go away untill we're bankrupt?!" "But ponies' lives are at stake! You saw it all right before your very eyes!" Dusk argued back. "She wouldn't be attacking if you haven't start snooping around! This is all your fault!" Sham shouted. Dusk wanted to respond, but...his mouth couldn't find the proper words to justify himself. He instead took a step back and hung his head in shame. He may not remember much on what happened during his stay at L'Opera de Cheval, he still could tell that whatever actions he took was indeed...a grave mistake. Zircoro intervene into the conversation with, "Shim...Sham...we need Prince Solaris and Artemis. They will..." "No," Shim interrupted, "We can't have them know about this. It would only make matters worse." "But..." Zircoro whispered. "Don't you see that if we take action we could lose the opera forever?! Or..." Shim explained, "would actually prefer the great Phantom to take the opera for herself? Oh better yet! Have the opera burn in the crossfires of a magical war!" Zircoro was silent, he kept staring at Shim with wide yes and his jaw slightly open. "That's what I thought." She hissed. "Now, we must let the others know that the show will go on." Shim and Sham then headed towards the door, with Dusk following behind them. But Dusk gave Zircoro a look over his shoulder, as if to sadly encourage him to follow in their hoof steps. And Zircoro did, only slowly and with his proud head down towards his front hooves. As traveled through the backstage of the opera, reaching towards the mob of the performers and stage hoofs. But Zircoro sang sadly to himself in his deep bartone yet operatic voice... Another hero, another mindless crime, Behind the curtain, in the pantomime, On and on, does any pony know what we are living for? Whatever happens, We leave it all to chance; Another heartache, another failed romance, On and on, does any pony know what we are living for? Shim and Sham interrupted the roaring chaos of the ponies backstage by singing loudly yet profoundly... The show must go on! The show must go on! Outside the dawn is breaking On the stage That holds our final destiny! Then, Dusk Shine, Zircoro, and the rest of ponies join in the managers song... The show must go ooooonnn! The show must go ooooonnn! Meanwhile, Bluebell was crying into the bottom steps of the altar in the sanctuary. In between her sobs, she softly sang... Inside my heart is breaking My will may be flaking But my love still lives ooonnn... Back to the dark and dimly lit backstage of the opera, the managers and their employees continued to sing passionately yet solemnly... The show must go oooonn! The show must go oooonnn! Then Dusk sang a short yet triumphant solo... We'll top the bill, We'll earn the kill We will find the will to carry on Soon, the rest of the chorus joined him... On with the On with the On with the shoooww! "On with the show!" Shim proclaimed. "On with the show!" Sham proclaimed. Then, Zircoro finished the song with a big and bartone... The Shoooowww must go ooonnn!! The stage curtains opened and the stage lights shined brightly on them like the dawn itself. Author's Note: I'm soooo sorry my readers to leave you with, yet again,another cliff hanger. Also, with more not so good news, not sure when the next chapter will be out. I deeply appreciate your guys' patience and always enjoying the chapter despite the long updates for them. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving/great rest of your November:) if you excuse, I must protect my sweet Bluebell from an angry mob with pitch folks. Run away Bluebell! They can smell fear! P.S. DF I hope you don't mind that I used the Discord mirror conversation thing from Bride of Discord. I couldn't think of another approach that could have worked better for that scene for Eris. I hope you don't mind, please forgive me if this upsets you. FYI to all I don't own that whole idea with Eris having a mirror double, DF did it first.